Make Paper Chain Decorations

In China, Christmas trees, 'trees of light,' are decorated with paper lanterns, paper chains and paper flowers. Why not make some colorful chains to decorate your tree of light?*

Materials

12- by 12-inch construction or scrapbook paper

Double-sided tape or glue stick

Scissors

Ruler

Pencil

Craft feathers (optional- for dragon version)

Googly eyes (optional- for dragon version)

Fold a piece of paper in half, and cut along the folded edge so you have two sheets of paper each measuring 6 by 12 inches. Lay the cut sheets of paper on top of each other.

Mark off 12 strips measuring 1 inch wide with the ruler and the pencil. Cut through both sheets of paper along the pencil marks, creating 24 strips of paper, each measuring 6 by 1 inch. Repeat Steps 1 and 2 to make as many strips of paper as desired.

Place a piece of double-sided tape on one end of a strip of paper, and form a loop by curling the other end over and adhering it to the taped end.

Place a piece of tape on one end of another strip of paper, insert the end through the first loop and join the ends of the second loop together.

Repeat Step 4 for as many strips of paper needed to form the length of garland, alternating the patterned and solid sides of the strips.

*Chinese New Year is the most important holiday of the year. Children often make paper chains that look like dragons.

To make paper chain dragons, follow instructions above, then:

Cut a large oval shape from a new sheet of construction paper.

Fold the oval in half so it can open and close. This will be the dragon’s head.

Cut a small strip of red construction paper to be the dragon's tongue. Glue this strip inside the dragon’s head so it peeks out.

Cut six small white triangles from the white construction paper for teeth. Glue inside the mouth so that the pointed ends hang out.

Glue eyes on top of head. Tape or glue head to chain 'body.'

Finish dragon by gluing feathers to the head and construction paper links.

Place chain(s) on the Christmas tree!

#paperchain #paperdragon #Asia